Self-healing polymers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11926728-B2
Application number	US-202117175775-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 15, 2021
Priority date	Feb 15, 2020
Publication date	Mar 12, 2024
Grant date	Mar 12, 2024

Abstract

Described herein are self-healing polymers comprising a base polymer and at least one healing agent disposed in the base polymer under pressure.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A self-healing polymer comprising:
a base polymer;
at least one healing agent disposed in the base polymer; and
a vessel for holding the at least one healing agent in the base polymer, the healing agent being disposed in the base polymer under pressure, wherein the vessel comprises vasculature embedded in the base polymer and wherein the vasculature is randomly dispersed throughout the base polymer.

2. The self-healing polymer of claim 1 , wherein the at least one healing agent is disposed in the vasculature in a vacuum.

3. The self-healing polymer of claim 1 , wherein the base polymer is compressed to maintain the at least one healing agent in the base polymer under pressure.

4. The self-healing polymer of claim 1 , wherein the base polymer is configured to be explosion-proof.

5. The self-healing polymer of claim 1 , further comprising florescent material disposed in the base polymer.

6. The self-healing polymer of claim 5 , wherein the florescent material is disposed adjacent an exterior surface of the base polymer.

7. The self-healing polymer of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of vessels each holding a healing agent.

8. The self-healing polymer of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of vessels comprise vasculature and microcapsules embedded in the base polymer.

9. The self-healing polymer of claim 1 , further comprising a catalyst component disposed in the base polymer for polymerizing the healing agent when the healing agent is expelled from the vessel.

10. An explosion-proof enclosure comprising a housing formed from the self-healing polymer as recited in claim 1 .

11. The enclosure of claim 10 , wherein the enclosure is one of a NEMA/UL rated enclosure for NEC/CEC governed locations, or an enclosure for IECEx/ATEX governed locations.

12. The self-healing polymer of claim 1 , wherein the at least one healing agent is disposed in the base polymer under pressure by either creating a vacuum state by removing air from the vasculature and injecting the healing agent into the vacuumed vasculature, or compressing the base polymer so that the vasculature is compressed whereby the healing agent in the vasculature is held under pressure.

13. An explosion-proof enclosure comprising a housing formed from a self-healing polymer, the self-healing polymer comprising:
a base polymer;
at least one healing agent disposed in the base polymer; and
a vessel for holding the at least one healing agent in the base polymer, the healing agent being disposed in the base polymer under pressure;
wherein the enclosure is one of a NEMA/UL rated enclosure for NEC/CEC governed locations, or an enclosure for IECEx/ATEX governed locations.

Assignees

• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Desai Jayram Shivajirao
• Pankaj Shireesh

Classifications

• C08K9/10 Primary

  Encapsulated ingredients · CPC title

• B29C45/14008

  Inserting articles into the mould (B29C45/14827 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C64/176

  Sequentially · CPC title

• B29C64/40 Primary

  Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof · CPC title

• B29C73/22

  the article containing elements including a sealing composition, e.g. powder being liberated when the article is damaged · CPC title